Chapter 39 - One’s Absolute Martial Truth (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ye Chen lifted his head, a brief glimmer flickered in his dark pupils as his eyes pierced through his uncle’s face. He took a step forward before he announced, “Uncle… Here I come.”

Honestly, Ye Zhanxiong had considered reserving about ninety-percent of his actual strength when he punched because Ye Chen’s level was probably only at the mid-Sixth Stage, even by his most forgiving estimation. Still, if he took into account the strange purity of his nephew’s Celestial Chi, he was sure that the young man would probably only augment his powers close to those at the peak of the Sixth Stage.

However, there was something about his nephew’s unearthly appearance that instantly set off Ye Zhanxiong’s seasoned instincts. Suddenly, he felt compelled to view his opponent in a more serious light.

Ye Chen took a step forward, and Ye Zhanxiong stiffened. He could feel an oppressive torrent of Celestial Chi Pressure being emanated from the Sixth Stage fighter in front of him, and actually threatened an Eighth Stage fighter like himself!

‘That’s impossible. How can a lower Stage fighter exert Pressure on a higher Stage fighter?’ Ye Zhanxiong’s mind raced. ‘His powers seemed to rival mine. Chen can fight me on equal footing!’

In a split second, Ye Zhanxiong dropped any thoughts of doubt, quickly revolved his Celestial Chi and summoned more of them to the surface of his skin to reinforce the Chi Construct armor.

Within Ye Chen’s body, the Nine Astra—nine Chi Vortices that had resembled the celestial bodies in space—rotated and orbited at a rapid pace.

It was as if Ye Chen had entered a trance. Celestial Chi arose from his right hand and the young man took another step forward.

Ye Zhanxiong felt himself bracing from what was equivalent to a frightening blast of Celestial Chi. Although it felt different in comparison to normal Chi Pressure due to its lack of hostility, he still knew what this unpleasant sensation meant. His Celestial Chi was incomparable to Ye Chen’s!

‘Th-that’s impossible!’ Ye Zhanxiong’s face paled.

“Rumbling Thunder Burst!” Ye Chen pushed his palm forward and executed one of the Ye family’s most basic martial art techniques.

Yet, instead of the technique’s usual mediocrity, one could detect a mysterious force in every precise detail of Ye Chen’s movement, as if an origami of power and mystery had been unfolded before their very eyes in that one brief flex of his arm.

Ye Zhanxiong gave a low growl and retaliated with his own attack. His palm met Ye Chen’s right in the middle of their trajectory.

A loud thunderous rumble shook the building. Floods of shockwaves that were created by the impact of their clashing Celestial Chi swept the juniors off their feet as they stumbled and struggled to remain in their spot. Even Ye Changxuan, Ye Zhantian and the rest of the more seasoned fighters could feel the unrestrained chaos exploding from the impact.

Ye Zhanxiong stumbled about six steps backward and panted. Yet, Ye Chen only took two steps back and maintained a composed expression.

‘Did Ye Zhanxiong just… lose in this tussle?!’

The crowd was baffled. Ye Changxuan and Ye Zhantian were left speechless, even with their martial art experience and knowledge combined.

Ye Zhanxiong was now a mid-Eighth Stage master and yet his cultivation base and skills in manipulating Celestial Chi were starkly inferior to Ye Chen’s. Could it be that the young man before them had already attained the mid-Eighth Stage?

‘Mid-Eighth Stage. By the age of seventeen?!’

The realization unexpectedly echoed in the crowd’s mind. It festered in their minds and made their skin crawl. When was the last time the House of Ye had ever witnessed such a rare and unique martial art genius?!

The color drained from everyone’s faces. When Ye Chen’s and Ye Zhanxiong’s attacks clashed, most of the audience were pushed about twelve feet away by the oncoming shockwaves and still, they could feel their skin being stung by the unruly blow. By the time they could finally lift their heads, they realized that the result had been a complete opposite of their expectations; Ye Zhanxiong was in fact the one who was defeated!

Horrified, they looked at the young man in confusion. In their mind’s eye, despite not being much older than any of them, Ye Chen’s figure seemed to have grown taller and mightier where his towering shadow shrouded them.

History had repeated itself. These juniors fawned over Ye Chen just as they had three years ago with unwavering admiration and respect befitting the gem of their generation.

Ye Zhanxiong had not expected himself be to be so thoroughly unparalleled to the young Chief even with all of his strength. He could only force an uneasy smile as he said, “Uh-oh. It seems that your son has long surpassed me in power!”

He turned to face Ye Zhantian more directly before continuing, “If you really want to know Chen’s true prowess, you should probably examine him yourself, Big Brother.”

Traces of his excitement could be heard below his quaking voice.

Hearing Ye Zhanxiong’s remark had pulled Ye Chen back to reality in a shock. Admittedly, as the youthful tendency to come out at the top of any given competition had taken over him, the young Chief allowed himself to bask in that indescribable trance during their duel. Furthermore, Ye Chen had summoned all of his Celestial Chi to its peak performance because he was as just as curious about his current power level.

Now that he was made aware of his surroundings once again, Ye Chen quickly retracted his Celestial Chi.

In a blink of an eye, the air in the clan’s meeting hall subsided into a state of tranquility.

The crowd, especially those of the Zhan cohort, was once again taken aback in genuine wonder as they watched how easily and swiftly Ye Chen had calmed the rampaging Celestial Chi before drawing it back to himself.

Meanwhile, Ye Zhanxiong’s comment spurred the juniors which in turn instantly launched a lively, buzzing discussion of their own.

“Whoa! Did you see that? Big Brother Ye Chen is just as powerful as Uncle Zhanxiong!”

“Just as? Come on, Uncle himself had said it, they weren’t even in the same league anymore. Big Brother Ye Chen is now more powerful than Uncle Zhanxiong!”

“Dang. How fast is his cultivation speed? Hadn’t Big Brother Ye Chen just recovered from his damaged meridian channels a while ago? Now look at him, he could put a mid-Eighth Stage fighter on edge! Only heaven knows how is all of this possible!”

Ye Rou stood in a corner quietly as she watched and wore a heartfelt grin. ‘Big Brother Ye Chen had finally regained what was rightfully his,’ she thought to herself and felt moved.